Introduction to Reeves’ Muntjac

Muntjac are the oldest but possibly the least studied and understood of all known deer species, prehistoric in origin with remains dated between 15 and 35 million years.

Muntjac buck called in by Author for photography

The population now found in most of southern England is the Reeves’ Muntjac (muntiacus reevesi) named after John Reeves, who was an inspector with The East India Tea Company in 1812. Introduction to England by the Duke of Bedford about 1900 is widely accepted as the source of our population.

Through a series of escapes and deliberate releases, together with their prodigious breeding, high numbers of Muntjac pose a serious threat to woodland management; eating almost any plant material that grows within their browse line which in turn impacts upon the natural habitat of many species of plants, insects and small birds. However, agricultural and forestry damage is less than with the other much larger species of antlered deer.

169 thoughts on “Introduction to Reeves’ Muntjac”

Dear BDS, walking diwn my park this morning at 6.40am, i came in close to a muntjac female deer. Small deer with little legs. I thought it was a bird walking through the long grass until it came out and it trotted on and looked back, and went into the brambells that are vast at the bottom of Senneleys Park B32 Bartley Green, Birmingham. I am a bit worried that lots of kids play in this area and needed your help in making sure the deer was safe.

It’s not the deer’s safety you should concern yourself with but the children’s. Munties are tough little customers who will do all possible to avoid humans, but if cornered or especially with young will aggressively protect themselves and their young. Bucks especially are aggressive when cornered and apart from those sharp antlers, they also have a set of impressively sharp tusks that can cause quite a lot of damage.

Muntjac are incredibly shy and will do anything to avoid being seen, let alone allow anyone to get near to them. I really shouldn’t worry. People will cause far more harm to them than the other way round.

Muntjac in my neighbours garden today. It was very frightened. Rang RSPCA they suggested waiting til dusk and then coaxing it out . We live on a main road out of Birmingham! Shameful! Not only could it have been killed but so may many people. RSPCA were not interested.

I lve in Colchester, Essex near the general hospital and Highwoods country park. Have seen muntjac in the woods on 2 occasions but in the last few months have seen them often in our garden which is 1/2 mile from country park and across a main road. They appear about 7pm and 6am do they have a usual route that they follow in a circuit. Have seen female and male.

you do realise that they are massively destructive to our woodlands with the knock on effect of placing at risk (and extinction), iconic birds such as lapwings, curlews, nightingales, grey partridge and lesser-spotted woodpeckers. You need to do a bit more reading as these creatures are vermin, pure and simple.

think you may find that its nightingales that may be affected from your list? I agree that more control is necessary in sensitive environments .This is very complicated to undertake Please note that Im not rude to you

These are incredibly destructive aliens in our natural environment. They may look cute, but you get close to them watch out!!
The does are in an almost constant state of pregnancy and are capable of producing 3 ‘kids’ a year. With no natural predators to control their numbers, their natural elusiveness and canny nature, you may have only seen one or two. But I guaranty there are many more in your vicinity. Most fatalities are due to their appalling road sense and they don’t carry insurance, so the extensive repair bill will fall to your no claims.

Think the population dynamics may slightly adrift ? Fawn today then another in 7 months unless twins happen along that’s 2in a calendar year I believe twins have been recorded. Nevertheless a pretty productive animal.

Hello. I have two muntjac that come to my garden. I’ve been feeding them windfall apples but these will run out soon. What can I feed them to help them survive the winter please. Would they eat Pony nuts ?

Hi there – we have had a buck & doe muntjac visiting our garden for the past 3 years. I feed them a mix of apple, pears, nectarines and carrots – chopped into small cubes about half inch size. They adore dried currants – not fussed for sultanas or similar, but they come running from the undergrowth when I rustle the bag before feeding time.
I’ve also given them some natural crunchy muesli with dried fruit and nuts – everything is eaten. They don’t seem crazy for rabbit or guinea pig food mix – but look healthy and have now become fairly tame. They will come within 3 – 4 feet of me at feed time, and now come up the patio steps to our back garden door to wait for food.

Muntjac will eat almost anything as they are very hardy little animals. Windfall apples as you are, any livestock feed including molasses, I manage deer on several farms and estates, parks and large private gardens, its not all culling. I place saltz blocks out in parks and some woodlands and conifer plantations for all species of deer that I have where I live. Muntjac will also eat meat, especially carrion that’s fallen short in life through old age or been knocked over and passed through slow death. Especially if food sources are short in the area. Its wise not to tame any deer as they can be very dangerous, unless you are a professional like myself. I also give advice on plants and fencing in my work, and attend Road traffic accidents involving deer. Hope this information helps, any other questions, feel free to ask.

Hi i was just reading your comment and i think you may be able to advise me. How do i prevrnt the Muntjacs eating the flowers i out on my sons grave? I find its only Stocks they dont eat, everything else is demolished. I have even sprayed the flowers with a homemade garlic solution to try and deter them, but no, they still demolish everything, i am at my wits end.Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

I live in Newbury town about 100 yards from the Main Street. For the last two mornings a small young muntjac deer has shot out from under a bush in the front garden as I have taken food out for the birds. Obviously lost, any advice on what to do? Would the RSPCA collect and relocate it?

We have a muntjac in the back garden.He has been feeding from us for about a month.He has lost his habitat as there is a big development at the back of mums house.He appears most days.My question is apart from walking up the estate urban areas is it best to let him reside with us or wouls someone be willing to take him to somewhere more suitable for his living

Hello I live in a busy built up area in the West Midlands and have a muntjac which has been in my garden for about a week now . I have phoned rspca and other rescue centres but they don’t really have much time for the little muntjac deers and said I should get it shot ,
It seems to be living in an overgrown area at the bottom of my garden and it may have been there longer but I only noticed it after I cleared some garden .will it just leave when it’s ready or will I have to get it removed .
I really wouldn’t like to see it harmed and it seems fine at the bottom of our garden ,will it just disappear if we leave it alone
Many thanks

Hello Yesterday morning I heard a repetitive animal noise that sounded like a big bird barking, I thought it might be a dog in distress, I live on a large council estate in Cambridge, a very urban place. This morning I was out in my garden and found a clump of shiny black segmented scat, pieces less than a cm in size.
I’ve been googling and it looks like it could be a muntjac. Is it possible? would they come into the city like that?

Contact : P.A.C.T. animal shelter at: 01362 820 775. or google P.A.C.T. to find out about the shelter. Good for you for being prepared to help these animals if injured or ill, probably not a good idea to breed them as there are so many now that they are treated as vermin & shot. They breed all year long & can mate within 2 days of giving birth, so if you keep any it would be wise to keep the males & females separate. Males fight for territory & can inflict serious injuries on each other. All good wishes

My spaniel and labor flushed out a baby muntjac about the sise of a small cat at first I thought it was a hare as it was dusk it made such a noise told dogs to leave I picked it up at first I thought it was dead but it seam to play dead after a few moments it puke up a I checked that it was not hurt sent the dogs away put it back I the long grass this was the end of last week next day I check. Area with dogs on lead was not there so hope it was ok I can’t get over how small she was

If you cant keep Muntjac’s in a safe place it is kindest to not let them learn to trust you much as they will be at risk from humans who do not care about them.
Their natural fear of us is their best defence.

We have fed a Muntjac & her fawn all through the winter , the Stag has been there for food too, and now there is a second new fawn, we just watched mother & fawn playing in our garden.

I don’t see anything funny about an animal with a broken neck & foreleg. The fact that a living being is not rare or beautiful does not mean that it’s life is not as precious to it as ours is to us. It is their world too. Lets face it, we aren’t an endangered species ourselves & most of us are not beautiful.

Lots around Leighton Buzzard. Three ‘road kills’ yesterday on A5 and Hockcliffe Road.
The last happened within few minutes of my using Hockcliffe Road to drive someone to the station. The deer, broken neck and foreleg was otherwise undamaged and has settled the debate over whether we have turkey or goose for Christmas. We are having venison! Took about 90 minutes to skin and butcher. No evidence at all of fleas or lice on the skin, contrary to other comments posted.

About 4months ago a female Muntjac appeared in our garden in Welwyn Garden City. She was quite pregnant at the time. She became quite friendly and visited almost every day and ate peanuts from me. About two weeks ago she stopped coming. Last week she started to visit us again, rather slim now. I haven’t seen any baby yet. She is still very friendly and only eats peanuts from us.

In addition to an earlier post from me on here on Jan 5th 2013 the muntjac has now got so tame that I am able to feed her by hand. I talk to her whilst doing so (nutty maybe) but it seems to instill some kind of confidence in her. I know no one will probably believe this next bit but on one occasion whilst feeding her I put a 3-4 inch length of bread and butter in between my lips, bent down towards her and lo and behold she took it,BTW, this summer she gave birth and also brought her youngster into the garden at few weeks old. if nobody believes this I have the feeding captured on film.

I live on the Suffolk/Norfolk border and we have a Muntjac fawn born in our garden at least once a year. For a while the mother can get over the wall into the fields but the fawn can’t so we feed it as mother is not always very attentive and probably pregnant. They mate within 2 days of giving birth.. We have also fed adult Muntjac deer ( male and female) who are injured from fighting and rest in our garden to recover. We asked a deer expert what to feed them and are advised that, chopped carrot, parsnip, apples are good and you can but Pygmy Goat mix which is very good for them .We leave water all the time. They do not eat grass so if they are browsing they are finding moss or other leaves and herbs. They love roses and many garden shrubs and flowers, ours are all eaten so we have to buy food. We cut Hawthorn and other branches from trees and hedges and they love that too.We once had a lame male deer in the garden for months and a fawn left there ore long periods of time by it’s mother. The male groomed the fawn played with it and let it follow him around as he ate, one morning I saw the mother suckling the fawn as the male groomed her neck. Magical moments. but I could not move to take a photograph as they would have fled. I do have pictures of us feeding them though. I am told they are vermin and an invasive species but to me they are lovely living beings and I will treat them with the respect and care that all beings deserve. Some good animal sanctuaries will also help these animals if you contact them when a deer us in need, they will also tell you more about diet. Don’t stop loving the non indigenous animals around us, even the red deer and red squirrel were introduced here at some time. Muntjac deer shed their antlers every year, look up Norma Chapman, she knows all there is to know about deer. It is against the law to kill any animal with out permission. If you kill the one in your garden others will come, do something to make your garden deer safe, you can buy deer proof fencing.

I understand wanting to take care of these animals but their population is growing at an enormous rate. This non-native invasive species is threatening the survival of many native flora and fauna in our woodlands. I am not saying ignore a lost fawn or a lame or sick muntjac but leaving food out for others may not be the best approach and could be supporting the detrimental effects they cause to the woodlands and native species.

We have recently moved to Suffolk and brought a home with a half an acre garden on the main Bury Road, the A 143 which is very busy road, we have a doe she has 3 legs but gets by, and now to our joy a baby.
I know some local people see them as pest, and a nuisance but we love them. My grandchildren were open mouthed the other day when they saw the new baby deer. I know that they can eat most plants and vegetation but I see this as a small inconvenience, and is a small niggle but our deer if they wish will remain.
I loved feeding them carrots on Christmas and boxing day a new family tradition which I hope will continue.

Hi to everyone,
I live on the Saffron Lane Estate in Leicester which is two miles from the city center. I cycle from my home to my mothers every morning at nine o`clock, my journey takes over some waste and under the mainline from London too Glasgow, most of the surrounding land is owned by the Leicester City Council or Network Rail. This wasteland is not very big, maybe a couple of square miles but 70% of it has been allowed to grow and grow for decades, but it is completely landlocked by roads, houses, shops and two very large secondary schools(Lancaster Boys School and Sir Jonathan North School for Girls), also a small nature reserve with a wash-brook running through it. So Wednesday morning i`m cycling along the tarmac path which fifteen minutes before about 500 kids had just rallied through, there in-front of me about thirty meter`s away moving slowly through the two foot high grass was what i thought a light brown coloured dog, then in a split second i nearly fell of my bike as i realised what it was, a muntjac deer. I saw this wonderful creature for about twenty seconds, as it`s head rose and turned to see me, i could see bump`s on each side of it`s head, it then quickly turned into the brambles. I still cant believe what i`ve seen, there were always rumours about munjac sightings in Knighton village Leicester, which is half a mile from my sighting and also contains the University of Leicester`s Deans residents which has a very old woodland area and ponds, it is situated on the old ninetenth century farm owned by the local Lord of the Manner, a mister Craddock, which the local pub is named after. I had only read about this deer in nature books or newspapers , i`d never met anyone who had seen one either, so to see one myself in the most un-suspecting place you can think of was a shock, and still is.

I live in Knighton village and after hearing a noise outside I saw what I thought was a big fox running off up the street but realised it did not have a bushy tail and was not running but kind of hopping. I realised it was a deer and observed it for several minutes as it was trapped at the top of the cul de sac. It eventually escaped and googled “deer in Leicester city”and came across this site. I am glad someone else has seen one too. I have seen foxes and badgers here but never a deer until tonight.

Hi I have owned my Muntjack since the day she was born, she is 10 years old and had developed hair loss looks like she is chewinging on her self, looks pink then darkens then new hair growth. What is causing this?

hello everyone.
i would like some advice please..ive noticed and seen over the last few months two muntjac deer living in my garden, discovered the other day with a chance look out of my downstairs toilet window that these two (buck and doe) have made up home 4ft from my window..absolutley beautifull..as the weather seems to be looking to get worse im wondering what food to put out to help their diet? i put out wildbird seed and split corn for the birds and would appreciate some more information..i live out on the cambs/norfolk border near the river little ouse..

Last week our 13 year old family dog, who has a heart complaint saw two Muntjacs in our garden/orchard. Doggie Girl does not even like birds on her patch so barked and gave chase. The female ran towards and through the closed the farm gate and out up to the main road, but the male turned and attacked her. The fangs and horns cut her side and terrified the living daylights out of her. She was a shivering mess. She has since had expensive vet treatment for the wounds and also fleas and lice. Fleas and lice! We’d never seen these on any of our dogs before, so the vet presumed that the deer passed them to her in the tussle. Poor doggie girl (a rescue dog) was covered, so the vet says she has to take a bath. Being totally terrified of water this is a horrible event for her. The deer, if left in the garden or encouraged with windfall apples, will “ring bark” the orchard trees which are over 70 years old so we will end up with no fruit and dead trees. The deer may be pretty and cute but think of Doggie Girl and the previous victim in the vets, who was so badly gored that the dog was close to death. We have now totally fenced the garden and gate to keep them out. Lets hope this works.

Just saw a female in Ashridge Forest, Hertfordshire and heard another bark nearby. She seemed totally fine with me being there. Stared at me for a second when I got to about 40 feet away and when I made a bit of noise continued to graze. Lovely little thing!

W e have for a number of years now have had a muntjac visiting us.i called her
Gretta. She has come and gone on a regular basis . She knows me well as I know her. I can tell you many interesting tales all of them are true.

We have a female muntjac visiting our garden morning and evening for the past two weeks. We have a very large garden with a wooded area at the top, so the right sort of environment. However, our house is in the middle of Rayners Lane, London, just backing onto the tube station and the service road to the shops, so goodness knows where she has come from.

We recently moved to a tiny hamlet in rural Worcestershire and are lucky enough to have a 2.5 acre garden that backs onto 90 acres of farmland. Around the bird feeder area 20 or so feet from the kitchen window, we are lucky enough to see pheasants, wood pigeons, doves, woodpeckers, bluetits, goldfinches, chaffinches, jackdaws, jays, blackbirds, robins, numerous squirrels, great tits, moor hens and chicks, ducks and ducklings, rabbits and a beautiful little muntjac. Occasionally we have also have several deer visit. The view whilst peeling potaotes for our supper is like a Disney movie and all that’s needed are the seven dwarves to come trotting along!
Little Muntjac is becoming quite brave having been with us several weeks now. She has a little ‘bed’ under a low blossom tree in one of our flower beds, helps herself to the duck food and each day she waits close by for her daily treat of chopped up apple or carrot. She no longer runs away if we peer into the flower bed to say hello although our two cats really don’t know what to make of her and they all sit staring each other out. I have called our cats in for their food and they’ve emerged from the flower bed so we do wonder if they are all friends!
We hope that she one day has a fawn or two as that would be so amazing.

I agree that to be up close to wild deer is magical and a privilege. However a muntjac is eating my plants and neighbours plants. We will hardly have any flowers blooming this year.
I live on a mobile home site. We have very small homes and gardens. Do you seriously consider that we put in fences at a height of over 6 foot all around our homes?
Is there really nothing else which will deter muntjac?

Yesterday I could not help but be thrilled that a doe was in the garden with a wobbly legged fawn. This morning there were a pair making woopy. Earlier the male was barking loudly, so much so it woke me up. I am not sure the females were the same and there was no sign of the fawn. I have just learnt that they mate all year round and the female is ready within days of giving birth to mate again. One species destined to takeover the world of deer!

We have a second muntjak kid growing up in its nest at the back of our garage under a bush. Its mother nested in the same place 2 years ago. It is used to us turning the car in front of the hide out and will only run away if we get too close/ eg within a metre of it. Mother and father visit particularly early evening times and during the night. We are in the middle of a village in South Oxfordshire/ not far from the Berkshire Downs and have hedges all the way around the garden but no no fences. We often observe the deer moving around our and the neighbours gardens and field. There is no large woodland in the vicinity. They do not eat daffodills or snowdrops but love tulips. They mostly do not eat from the patio pots and sometimes the seem to love meeting under the trampoline. We were watching them from the lounge the other day. The mother stared at us, stood still and did stamp her foot down threatening…”keep out of my garden and away from my child…”, it was funny. What is not funny is the barking noise in the middle of the night when they seem to communicate with each other around the village…as it is very qiet here at nighttime, I do not think it is humans they are frightened off.. They are quite used to traffic in the village and watch out before crossing the road, often grazing in gardens and fields in bright sun light.

I think I saw a baby muntjac as I was travelling to work this morning! I was driving along the Rednal Road in (urban) West Heath, Birminham UK at 6.45am this morning when I spotted this animal scuttling along the side of the road. It was definately not a dog , cat or fox. After speaking to a friend he suggested that it could be a muntjac – and now after a bit of investigation about their population in the local area I think he is probably right! I’m very surprised and intrigued as I never knew these mammals existed locally. If anyone can ratify my sighting I wouldbe grateful and at least it will reassure me I’m not going mad. Thank you……

Hello we have a muntjac living in our garden in bournville, birmingham! he’s been here over a month and very cute but not aure what to do. Any advice? I am not too bothered about our garden but i know some of the neighbours have said its eaten all their plants. Should we continue to leave him or should we tell someone and who?

My husband and I were out walking our dog, on the Lincolnshire fens when we saw what we thought was a hare at first but turned out to be a muntjac deer. We have never seen one before so weren’t sure what it was we had seen until we looked it up on the web.

Quite often have Muntjac deer in the garden, there has been one lying at the edge of scrubby/wooded area since about six this morning. If we go out he/she moves away quite calmly and after a few minutes returns to the same spot. Is this normal behaviour?

I stopped to look at what I thought was a roadkill Muntjac on the road across the Blackdown Hills (Somerset) between Wellington and Corfe. Turned out to be just the skin! Very professionally skinned, too. I have seen several Muntjac up on the Blackdowns, as well as their hootprints and droppings.

I have a regular visit from a female muntjac in my garden here in Buckinghamshire. She has becaome very tame to the extent she will wait outside my kitchen window for me to take her some food out, mainly wildfowl food whcih I feed my two pet ducks on.The ducks do not take any notice of her and vise versa. It hs taken some patience to get her to this stage of confidence, but it can be achieved. The main thing is to take it slowly, no sudden movements or noises, be patient and you could achieve this as well. the nearest I have been to her is about 8 feet, keeping myself almost motionless

further to my earlier mail of Jan 2013 this female Muntjac is now visiting my garden on a regular basis and also now eating out of my hand. She comes into the garden now and stands in a particular spot waiting for her little treat. Its got to the stage where I can gently stoke the side of her face whilst she is eating, something I thought i would never see. Absoulate magic
Peter

MUNTJAC need to be exterminated from this rich, diverse island as MUNTJAC are an alien species. Many fools like you people want to belive that MUNTJAC are a cute, harmless animal that deserves rights and should live here when the truth is that they destroy our native habitat, ruin bird nesting and feeding habitats and breed like mad. I feel that MUNTJAC should be eradicated from this country to save our habitats and to give our native Roe deer a chance and that people should do all they can to get rid of this burden!

If we really want to keep all deer species now in the UK in check, we need to re-introduce the lynx as a top predator. They are deer specialists that have fitted in across Europe where re-introduced, eat large numbers of deer, do not attack people and will only take sheep if they are close to woodland or cover (lynx are ambush predators). Putting aside whether muntjac are cute or give pleasure as wildlife interacting with people, they are supposed to be very good eating for humans and should be regarded as a resource. In cities they survive off weed plants in awkward places like railway embankments and waste ground. Our ecosystem is stuffed full of introductions from the last few thousand years and whilst we should be doing all we can to fight knotweed, tree of heaven etc and the terrible aquatic invaders, the new deer species could enrich an island lacking in large wildlife (don’t forget fallow deer are introduced) if some kind of balance is achieved.I doubt Muntjac are good eating !

I had a muntjac die in my arms today after being chased by a dog. It was sad but then i found out that the people are anyway trying to kill them off so i thought at least it’s been killed naturally rather than by poison or nasty traps.

Hello marinecreature.
Unfortunately, if a large cat was introduced it would take only the easiest prey, which eventually would end up being someones property, cats small dogs, chickens and any other easy meal in the area. which I can assure you would then make it a pest in the eyes of many other people. On the subject of eating, they are widely regarded as the best venison shot in this country. Our little island has in the region of 1.8/2 million deer in residence at the moment, a population that has pretty much doubled in 50 years. Of the 6 species in this country, 4 are non indigenous, the Roe and the Red being our natives. Muntjac are a browsing deer who make their living in the hedgerows and woodlands doing an awfull lot of damage when in high densities. The small bird population who may live in low parts of hedgerows can be very badly affected as their nesting habitat is fair game to this very destructive little ungulate, so much so that there is no close season as far as management is concerned, largely due to its ability to breed all year round. For more info, please visit our web site at BDS.org.

hi …muntjac fans..have just had a muntjac in the garden..really happy about that..we have a wood at the back..so am now off to put water and a salt rock for it..and a few of the squirrels monkey nuts..

I have just visited this site trying to get more info on this lovely little deer as we seem to have a male living close by who regularly visits my garden and my adjoining neighbours garden. We all love seeing him although he does terrify my cat, chasing her off if she gets too close! (chased out of her own garden!) I hope he continues to visit, I don’t even mind that he has eaten the tops off of all my flowers! I’d always rather have beautiful wildlife in my garden than replaceable plants and flowers.
I live in rural Warwickshire by the way, seeing Muntjacs around here is very, very common.

we were thrilled to see a beautiful muntjac outside our home today in Burton-on-Trent, we startled it, it dashed around a bit then hopped over the fence back into the field, i hope to see it again some day, a real treat.

Just had our first visit ( that we know of) by 2 muntjacs in our garden in Kidderminster. Absolutely beautiful.It felt like a very surreal scene from Narnia! Unfortunately our puss Toots is now patrolling her patch. Hope they visit again!

I briefly saw a Muntjac about 9.30 pm on Monday in the Meridian Business Park, south west Leicester, on a grass verge next to a fairly busy road. I thought it was a young fox until I saw the rear legs and tail and as soon as it saw me it disappeared into bushes. Prior to this sighting I didn’t even know they were common in England.

Was surprised earlier this week by a muntjac running down the road in Mistley, Essex. After having a swim in the fountain it got stuck in the iron railings as it tried to exit. After much wriggling its back leg became firmly trapped -‘ woven’ through the railing posts. The screams were heart rending but local residents came to help – wrapping the head and upper body in towels with lots of re-assurrance whilst another bent the railings with a crowbar to gently relase the leg. There did not appear to be serious injury and the deer gradually relaxed – it was tranported by car to the local environmental centre for a thorough check over. I’m hopeful all ended well and I feel privilegdged to have been able to get so close to this beautiful breature.

Spotted a muntjac this morning on my way to work. It was 9:15am and I had just entered the Rickmansworth Aquadrome area near Stokers lake. Walk this way to work daily now as I get to see new things that make me glad to be in able. I used to drive to work and miss the glorious nature. A little added time onto my journey I believe will add a bit more added time onto my life and I get see something different every day, be it a rainbow in the downpour or a thrush plumping its feathers. It’s all good.

Spotted a Muntjac this morning at around 6.00am in my back garden in Lincoln. Can’t think where it came from. After clocking me It appeared to panick slightly and ran backwards and forwards against my 5ft back wall before eventually hopping over into the grden at the rear. It did take a minute to have a good look at me before making the leap over the wall. Really was a fabulous sight. I live in the southern quarter of the City and was totally surprised to see this little chap this morning.

Interested to read so many comments supporting this tiresome little animal. I’m sorry about that, but the damage muntjac do, regardless of site, is incalculable. In our three counties of Berks, Bucks and Oxon they have been responsible for serious damage in
particular to Orchid spp, eating the flowers and thereby reducing the reproduction potential. In my own patch near Harefield [Middx] their gnawing of young shoots on newly coppiced hazel and ash has in some cases caused the stools to die out, thereby
losing the mosses, fungi and invertebrates thet rely on this resource.
If you find a muntjac in a confined space in your garden -eg down behind a shed or poultry run, leave it to find its own way out or take the risk of a panic-stricken animal
going quite crazy and -in the case of a buck, using teeth, antlers and razor-sharp hooves to get away.
Like the grey squirrel, fat dormouse, mink and Canada goose, this is just another animal that our Victorian ancestors visited upon us. There are countless other cases,
foxes in Australia, Australian ‘possums in New Zealand, Japanese knotweed. In truth,
we know not what we do a lot of the time! Very flawed, the human animal! DWO

Recently, my wife and I have seen a muntjac in our garden here in rural West Norfolk. As our garden seems to be developing to be a safe haven for pheasants, green pigeons and the dreaded rabbits (from the shooting around us in the adjacent fields and other properties) we suddenly saw a pair this morning right up against the house. Must say it was terribly exciting and surprising especially so when we have just been to the huge Imfolosi game park in South Africa! Seeing Muntjacs up close and personal! Wow, what a treat!!…….. although I now know why my Rose shrubs have been so savagely bitten off!

A pair seem to have taken up residence in the trees surrounding the house. They are out early morning and late evening grazing on the fringes of the lawn. Kids are amazed, they are beautiful. Pitsford, Northants

Yesterday we were excited to see a Muntjac deer in our garden, it was sheltering from the rain under my daughters trampoline!! We live in a fairly rural area with woods nearby (but it would have had to cross a main road to get here). It now seems to have taken up residence there and it looks like it may have built a “nest”? I am just wondering if I should let it stay there or is moving it on would be better?

Eleanor, if it got into your garden it will certainly be able to find its own way out again. As muntjac are an alien species it would be illegal to release it into the wild following capture, other than in very exceptional circumstance – licenced etc. Enjoy the sight and leave it be.

I saw a Muntjac in my garden yesteday at around 11am but I live in Oadby, Leicester where could it possibly be living? we do have large gardens & could there be more than 1? I am so excited I just want to see more (I did manage to take a photo)

I often used to see deer on Leicestershire Gold Course and I assume they are living in the large copse and woodland that runs up to where the old Farm Park used to be, if yuo live at the Evington side of Oadby that may be where they are from

Hi My name is Josh I am 10 years old last year my mum and dad took on a allotment garden in Oxford we work hard in getting our allotment sorted. last year we lost cabbages, marrows, broad beams and peas to pests I did see deer around but didn’t realise how many until last Tuesday evening 10-04-12 when I walked over to the east side of the allotments to investigate what I thought was a fox. I looked closer and saw 5 muntjac deer eating veg off someone’s plot when they got spooked they jumped over 4ft high chicken wire fences one after another then ran into brambles. I don’t feel lucky these animals are a pest what can we do about it? My dad has friends willing to come and shoot them is this the best thing to do? There is a big fence all the way around the allotment gardens could they have got trapped inside or could they be going round all the allotment gardens in Oxford?

I think we have a doe living in our garden. The garden is in a South Leicestershire village and has areas resembling a thicket. I didn’t consider it athicket until I saw the doe run to it when startled. I have now seen it dawn and dusk, so now think it is living here. I thought how wonderful to have such wildlife in my garden until I have now discovered how destructive they can be. Although I don’t have beds and borders I do have a lot of shrubs and lawn. Perhaps it will help me keep the brambles down. Hopefully we can coexist.

We have several muntjac deer that wander
through our garden regularly. They are such
Gentle looking creatures, it makes our morning
When we pull back the curtains and see them.
Can’t believe some people on here wanting to
Hurt them or discourage them from land.
Enough are killed on our roads, we don’t need
to cull these beautiful animals, you should consider
Yourselves lucky to be in such close contact..

Hi.
Can you tell me why muntjac’s always seem to be alone? We see one quite often out on our walk at walkfarm just outside Stamford Lincs. Also I have seen them (alone again) in Wothorpe Woods, near Stamford.

Dogs sometimes have a good chase after them but they usually lose the scent.

We have been visited so often at about 1800 of late March) that I think it must have a “nest” in the garden. It isn’t fazed by being “stalked” by a young tabby kitten. We live about 3/4 mile from the Thetford Forest and it has to cross several roads and find the gap under the hedge to get in.

I was driving home across Cheltenham about 10pm this evening and one ran across the road in front of us by the tennis club. At first I thought it was a fox. I rammed on the brakes to avoid it. Then I turned the car round to get a better look. It was clearly not a fox but a Muntjac deer and it ran through the hedge in to the tennis club grounds.
I often see deer up near us but we are on the edge of town close to open countryside. Bit of a shock to see it so close to the town centre!

On the way home from visiting my husbands parents, we had just turned off the Tring roundabout and going along the Icknield road when a muntjack deer ran out in front of the car. I was driving and i just saw the deer out of the corner of my eye. I braked hard but i could do nothing to avoid the deer. It hit the side of my car with a sickening thud. When i looked to see if it was ok, there was blood in it’s eye but it’s head was up and moving around. After a while it got up, wandered across the road (luckly no other cars came along) it was holding up one leg but it managed to go back into the wood. Will it be ok or will nature take it’s course? Should i have called someone?

I was particularly interested in this report as I spent the first 27 years of my life in Tring. Now, this morning, in my garden in Gloucestershire, I saw a muntjac deer lying calmly for about ten or 15 minutes. When it stood up I saw that its right foreleg was twisted at an angle, as though it had at some time been fractured. But it did not seem bothered by it, and eventually made off into the neighbouring garden, after nibbling some undergrowth and hedge shoots.

hi ive just had an encounter with a muntjack in habberley valley in kidderminster. at first i thought it was a dog as i was driving down the track, the deer ran and got it self caught in a steel wire square fence. it was well and tuely tangled up and bleeding, i took some pliers from the van and cut the wire to free it. i was quite scarred as when i approached it it let out a really loud cry like it was being murdured! i could see 2 large backward pointing teeth(i think thats what they were)i dont know who was more frightened me or the deer! a couple of snips throught the wire and it was off like a shot, i feel lucky to have seen this as i walk my dog here nearly every day and its only the second time of seen one

I witnessed a muntjac crossing a main arterial road, very close to Leicester City centre in the early hours of the morning. I was able to stop and observe it for a minute and, although I am no animal behaviourist, it did appear a little dazed and confused to me.
Are muntjac known to colonise towns and cities, or was this more likely to be an escaped pet?

There are sightings recorded in most towns and cities in the southern half of England . I heard one barking from a dense garden shrubbery in Northampton back in 94 and had one in my garden in Raunds in 82 .They colonise brambles and I suspect gain access to inner cities by following the railways G

Saw a young (spotted fawn) Muntjac last week (9/7/2011), in the Countesswells area of Aberdeen. Between the size of a large rabbit and a small hare. Was about to pass in front of the car, but very streetwise!

I just saw a muntjac whilst cycling in Overseal, Derbyshire. I was on the cycle path near Conkers. Fabulous! How sad that Margaret would consider ‘getting the hunters in’, I agree with Gerald… It is a privilege!!!

Trying to get research on the muntjac deer, because I am going to articulate one for a friend, the little information I can fine, people refer to their “horns” and “antlers”. Are these horned or antlered animals? If antlered, are these shed yearly or do they grow continually throughout the animals life, as in cows and goats?
Is there a good reference you can refer me to?

Lucky Lady. Unless it is causing lots of damage what a privilege Hunters and suburbia don’t usually go well together ! If a real problem I think there are people who will catch Munjac but there is aways the possibility with females that a dependent fawn would be left . Perhaps fencing is the answer ?

Hi Last night at 9-15 pm i felt so privileged to see my first Muntjac Deer, we where just leaving my sisters house in Trentham Staffordshire Stoke-on-Trent, it was a healthy female and was feeding on the edge of the lawn and Herbaceous boarder iv heard of them being seen in Cannock but never seen one, i wondered if there have been any other siteings in Stoke -on-Trent, we E.mailed the Trentham estate at Trentham gardens to see if there had been any other reported sightings, a truly greatful wildlife lover,